A key future project for the Trust is the restoration of Volunteer Park’s iconic Water Tower, which includes restoring framed vistas in all directions from the observation deck, and improving plantings at the base once the lead-tainted soil is replaced. Through careful tree management, the Trust hopes to recapture lost views from what was at one time the best viewpoint in Seattle, with its magnificent panorama of downtown, Lake Union, Lake Washington, Puget Sound, and the Olympic and Cascade Mountains from the very heart of the city. Working closely with Seattle Parks & Recreation, we are also looking to replant the lush gardens surrounding the Water Tower. Visitors who have braved the 105 steps to the top know the tower itself also needs attention, including improved lighting to make it a safer, more welcoming beacon to the city.
UPDATE: Cyndy Holtz, Major Watersheds Business Area Manager at Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), gave us this update on the Volunteer Park Water Tower on October 26, 2016:
A 2015 condition and seismic assessment of the Volunteer Park Standpipe determined that the interior and exterior of the bolted steel tank need to be recoated, the tank and decorative masonry shell need to be upgraded to meet current seismic codes, and there are miscellaneous operational repairs and upgrades needed for the tank and its appurtenances. Additionally, the exterior drain piping is crushed. It will likely be several years before SPU is able to address the more costly upgrades and repairs. Consequently, SPU is developing a small capital project to replace the external drain piping. Currently, SPU is determining if there are any other upgrade or repair tasks that should be included with the drain pipe replacement project. SPU is currently planning to complete the drain pipe replacement capital project in a year or two.